


Blister

by karakael



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Gen, Medical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-11
Updated: 2013-01-11
Packaged: 2017-11-25 03:12:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/634508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/karakael/pseuds/karakael
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kabuto and Karin spend an evening recovering from a strenuous day and healing their wounds.</p>
<p>Based of tumblr's ImaginYourOTP hiking prompt</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blister

“Uuuuuuuggggggghhhhhh” Karin thumped down on the step next to the entrance to her hideout. “That was the worst camping trip ever.”

She fought with her hiking boots, clumps of mud hitting the rock floor as she battled with the laces.

“I hardly would call a day long walk a ‘camping trip’.” Kabuto chided as he un-slipped his own muddy boots. “And your hideout should be set for the next few months with the plants we gathered - surely we should call today a success.”

“I’m sore, I’m tired, and I need a shower. Tell me about success after you ground those accursed things.” With a sigh the final latch gave way and she kicked the remaining boot across the room, leaving a smear where it hit the opposing wall.

Kabuto turned a lecturing eye to his protegee. “Fine. Get your shower, and I’ll finish up. But you write the report.”

She was halfway down the corridor by the time he finished, dusty clothing hitting the floor as she went. But even with her back turned to him he could sense the roll of her eyes. Kabuto hid a smile and loosened his own travel-stained clothing. They’d tramped all over the island and had found far more herbs than he had anticipated. He didn’t mind finishing the job and transferring the frail plants into the underground hydroponics bay, and Karin would be in a much better mood once the water had rinsed away the days frustrations.

The next time he saw her was after his own shower, while he was still toweling off his hair.

“Paper work’s done. And I made dinner. You okay with stir-fry?”

He looked up to find her glasses misted with steam and her hair damp from the water. But beneath it she was smirking, and he wondered what she had poisoned his portion with.

“I thought you were done with plants after today.”

She shrugged as he hung up his towel. The wardens quarters were luxurious by his standards - a private shower, a whole suit of rooms including a fully functioning kitchen and guest bedroom…nothing like the tiny room he occupied while undercover or serving Orochimaru.

“There was something really nice about cutting the bastards up after they caused us so much trouble.” She said with a satisfied smile.

He laughed and followed after her, still damp from the shower and tired from the days trek. Karin must be fairing even worse, given her slighter build and sedentary work, but she seemed to show no signs of fatigue beyond a slight drag in her step and tired eyes.

The medics eyes narrowed as she bustled around the kitchen, pouring tea and dumping the stir-fry into bowls. She was being too cheerful after their hike. He carefully watched her gait as she lead the way into their dining/work room. The fire had been stoked and their evening paperwork laid out on the coffee table. 

All in all very suspicious from one who would fight tooth and nail to avoid most housework.

“Karin.” He set his bowl down on the table. “Take your socks off.”

The hesitation was only for a moment, but he’d been trained to notice it. “But the floor’s cold, Kabuto. Why would you ask such a silly - “

“The socks. Take them off.”

“But - “

“Off.”

And there was the glare he was familiar with. She was about to protest more, then caught the mirrored look on his own face. One didn’t argue with ones superior in the Sound. At least, in theory. They argued all the time, except when he pulled rank and forced her through basic medic training, or her physical, or all the exercises she should have been doing over the last year and a half…

She reached down and tugged the first sock off. “I’m poisoning your coffee tomorrow.” Then the second, and whatever pain-killer she had taken wasn’t enough to numb the wincing pain that just setting her bandaged, blister-covered foot down caused.

Kabuto sighed. “Sit down. Let me heal that.” 

“You don’t need to. I can do it myself!”

“But you didn’t.”

“If you leave blisters alone, they get better.”

He bit back the urge to correct her logic. “Damnit, Karin, I’m a healer. Why didn’t you tell me about this earlier. I could have fixed your shoes…”

This was met with silence. He glanced up, hands still fingering the damage, to find her looking resolutely away. 

“it wouldn’t have mattered…”

“Excuse me?” 

“It wouldn’t have mattered. I haven’t been outside in a month, and haven’t gone hiking in four.”

The doctor looked blank. “But why - “

“Because Sasuke - “

She paused, catching the flare of anger at Sasuke’s name. The expression never reached Kabuto’s face, but she felt it in the flicker of his chakra over her feet.

“What did he say now?”

She had the grace to look down, and as such didn’t even notice his expression as he lanced the first blister. “That girls with dark skin and dirty hair were ugly, and staying in a cave might be better for my complexion.”

The next puncture was a bit more violent, and she yelped, knocking him in the jaw with her knee.

“So you haven’t been doing your exercises because of something that…that idiot said?”

“Well…” He jabbed her again, silencing her.

“And I’m betting he also said something about your heavy walking boots?”

“Just that they were clunky and that women in his village - “

Another poke quieted her, even as he sighed. “That boy. If I didn’t know other girls all over the Sound are doing the same idiotic things…”

She waited for him to continue, to chide her for being an idiot and thinking that Sasuke would notice her if she turned into someone pretty, like that Sakura girl he always talked about.

But he didn’t, instead switching his chakra from scalpel to healing. He was silent for the rest of the work, allowing her to watch his face and hands as they rubbed the wounds away. He was so focused when he worked, all the lines and stresses disappearing from his face, even as his perfectly tuned chakra washed over her.

Kabuto’s chakra felt completely different than the others in the village. Orochimaru and Sasuke lit up her senses whenever they were near. She could feel them coming from a day away, and the way her body reacted sometimes seemed completely beyond her control.

But Kabuto was different. He barely registered on her senses at all. If she concentrated she could tell he was there, and sense the quiet control he exerted at all times over his chakra supply. She could tell he was a healer, and a skilled one at that, but his stores were tiny in comparison to so many of the other village members.

But that wasn’t the only reason he faded from her senses. His chakra was constant, infusing every bit of the Sound. He’d laid the trap foundations at the front of her hideout, coded the security seals in the hallways, started the water-filters and the air compressors…his seals were everywhere. And it wasn't just at her hideout. While Orochimaru had done all of the large, impressive jutsus that created the village, Kabuto had a hand in every inch of its construction. So while Orochimaru’s chakra faded, leaving behind vast underground tunnel systems and giant doors that held back the sea…Kabuto’s chakra surrounded her every day.

And the man behind it…was simply part of her world. A visitor bringing supplies and instructions at least every other month, fixing problems and misering to her ill experiments.

So while her entire body lit up at the mere thought of sensing Sasuke’s chakra…with Kabuto she could relax. And while it was foolish to trust a man that was a renowned spy and traitor…there was part of her that relished the chance of him just being there for her. Not much of a hero, but he really didn’t need to be.

Kabuto looked up and smiled. Head tucked into the armrest, Karin slumbered only half aware, a small smile on her face. The grin widened when he massaged the new skin on her feet and she nudged her other foot into his hand, eyes still closed. 

If he leaned over he could kiss each one of her toes. But right now, with the fire warming the room, rain trickling in from above, and the light reflecting off of her smile…this was enough, and all he really wanted.


End file.
